Apollo 12

Day 10: Splashdown for 3 Tail Hookers

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 227 hours, 59 minutes. Apollo 12 is 85,411 nautical miles from Earth. Velocity, 5,970 feet per second. Flight director Jerry Griffin and the Gold team is in the process of turning over their duties here in the Control Center to Flight Director Glynn Lunney of the Black team. CapCom on the new shift will be astronaut Don Lind. Change of shift news conference scheduled to begin at 10:30 p.m. Central Standard Time in the Houston news center. Participants will be the flight director Jerry Griffin, the CapCom Jerry Carr, and the retrofire officer Charles Deiterich. At 228 hours, this is Mission Control Houston."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 229 hours, 18 minutes. Apollo 12 presently 80,837 nautical miles from the Earth, traveling at a speed of 6,201 feet per second. Flight Director Glynn Lunney at present is reviewing the mission status with his Flight Controllers and checking out events for today’s re-entry and splashdown. The crew still has about 5 hours left in their scheduled rest period, the Flight Plan calls for the crew to be awakened at 234 hours Ground Elapsed Time. All systems on the spacecraft continuing to function well at this time. At 229 hours, 19 minutes, this is Apollo Control Houston."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 230 hours, 22 minutes. It's now been some 4 hours since we last heard from the crew about 226 hours, 18 minutes. This sleep period scheduled to end some 4 hours from now at 234 hours. At the present time Apollo 12 is travelling at the speed of 6,412 feet per second, and the distance from Earth is now decreased to 76,949 nautical miles."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 231 hours, 18 minutes. At the present time the crew is about 3 hours from the scheduled end of their sleep period. The spacecraft continuing to function normally. We're reading a cabin pressure of 5.1 pounds per square inch, which is normal. Cabin temperature has been running in the low 70's. The base digitals show the spacecraft to be traveling at a speed of 6,614 feet per second at the present time. Altitude 73,421 nautical miles from the Earth and the flight surgeon reports that Dick Gordon, the only crew member on whom we have biomedical data at the present time, is sleeping soundly. At 231 hours, 19 minutes, this is Apollo Control, Houston."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 232 hours, 18 minutes. We now have less than 2 hours until the scheduled wake up time for the crew. All spacecraft systems continuing to function well. There has been no change in any system status since the last report. It's been a very quiet shift. The spacecraft presently traveling at a speed of 6,848 feet per second. The altitude has just dropped below now the 70,000 nautical mark. We're now reading 69,598 nautical miles from the Earth at this time. At 232 hours, 19 minutes, this is Apollo Control, Houston."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 233 hours, 18 minutes. We're now 55 minutes away from the scheduled crew wake up time. Apollo 12 traveling now at a speed of 7,110 feet per second and our distance from Earth is decreased now to 65,617 nautical miles. We've had a very quiet sleep shift here. During most of the night the activity is centered around watching spacecraft systems, reviewing the status for today’s splashdown. This is Apollo Control at 233 hours, 19 minutes."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 234 hours, 2 minutes. About 15 minutes ago, we got some indication that at least one of the crew was awake and we've seen data here indicating that they are operating the DSKY, their spacecraft computer and our communications engineer reported just a few moments ago that the crew has configured their spacecraft communications for voyage down length. So we will be standing by for a call from the spacecraft, the sleep period is not officially scheduled to end for about 11 more minutes. We also have a weather report from the primary recovery area in the mid Pacific forecast at end of mission calls calls for scattered clouds at 1,800 feet, waves of 4 feet with 5 foot swells, winds out of the East, Southeast at 5 knots. Visibility of about 10 miles, also predicted scattered showers in the recovery area. At present time we show the spacecraft some 62,500 nautical miles from the Earth, traveling at a speed of 7,330 feet per second. We will stand by now for a call from the crew. We don't expect CapCom Don Lind to be putting in a call to the crew for about 10 more minutes."

[Flight Plan 3-197]

234:05:40 Gordon: Hello, Houston; Apollo 12.

234:05:44 Lind: Good morning, Apollo 12.

234:05:49 Gordon: Good morning, good morning. We are just getting cleaned up and eating breakfast.

234:05:54 Lind: Very good. Are you ready for the big day?

234:05:59 Gordon: I don't know. What's happening?

234:06:01 Lind: Oh, we've got a nice little section in the South Pacific reserved for you. And we have most of the Navy standing by to pick you up.

234:39:09 Conrad: Yesterday, I gave them a tentative storage arrangement and I'd like to modify that just one little bit, and I'll appreciate it if you'd let RETRO know.

234:39:22 Lind: Roger.

234:39:23 Conrad: Instead of storing Dick's suit under the left-hand couch, we have some garbage in the TSB and we'd like put that in the hatch bag. And it's all soft and then we'd like to take Dick's suit and stow it under the right seat and that's the only change.

234:39:41 Lind: Roger; copy.

234:39:48 Conrad: Thank you.

[Very long comm break.]

235:03:58 Bean: Houston, Apollo 12.

235:04:00 Lind: Go ahead, 12.

235:04:03 Bean: Morning, Don. Say, this is Al, and I put on that new EKG harness. How about asking the doctors to look at it and see if it's okay?

235:04:13 Lind: Roger...

235:04:14 Bean: I moved the lower - I moved the lower sternal up about 1 inch to keep it off the old spot. But I don't know if that makes any difference or not.

235:04:23 Lind: Roger. We'll have him check it for you.

235:06:26 Lind: Apollo 12, Houston.

235:06:31 Conrad: Go ahead.

235:06:32 Lind: The surgeon reports that he is getting a good signal from both of you, and you're both definitely still alive.

[Very long comm break.]

235:20:39 Conrad: Good show.

235:20:44 Conrad: Houston, we stopped PTC for a moment to do some photography and we'll get back in it again in about 10 minutes.

235:20:52 Lind: Very good. When do you plan to do a P23? Will you do that before you...

235:21:01 Conrad: Say again.

235:21:02 Lind: Do you plan...

235:21:03 Conrad: Say again, Houston.

235:21:04 Lind: Do you plan to do the P23 while you're out of PTC before you re-enter?

235:21:10 Conrad: We might as well. Let's see, we might be doing it just a few minutes early. We'll hold to 236. You want to do that?

235:21:22 Lind: Stand by. Okay. We're okay for early, and we have some attitudes for you when you're ready to copy.

235:21:35 Conrad: Okay. I'll be back with you in a minute for the attitudes.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 235 hours, 31 minutes. We have just had a report from the radiation support room that our solar particle alert network has detected a very small solar flare. The - We haven't gotten a description of the size of the flare except that it was quite small and at this time we have gotten no readings from instrumentation on the spacecraft to indicate the presence of any additional level radiation as a result of this flare. At the present time the radiation as a result of this flare. At the present time the spacecraft if traveling at a speed of 7,825 feet per second. Stand by, here's a call from the spacecraft."

235:38:43 Lind: Apollo 12, Houston. One flight plan change for you when you want to copy.

235:38:51 Conrad: Okay. Go ahead.

235:38:52 Lind: At 238 hours and 30 minutes, the report of the Command Module RCS injector valve temperatures, I delay that report to 240 hours and that will improve our chances of not having to do any heating.

235:39:17 Conrad: Okay. I just looked at them right now, and over the night during the PTC, they're all above 4 [garble], some just barely, and so we will have gone back into PTC for a while alter the [garble] and I think doing that, we'll probably be in pretty good shape.

235:39:34 Lind: Roger. Thank you, Pete.

235:39:35 Gordon: Don't we have it - We have it until just before you do it.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 235 hours, 43 minutes. The flight surgeon reports that the personal radiation dosimeter readings passed out to the crew or passed down by the crew indicate no significant increase in radiation levels. The increase over the past 24 hours is about 30 millirads per crewman and this is about what we have been running for a 24-hour period. At the present time Apollo 12 is 55,277 nautical miles from the Earth, traveling at a speed of 7,896 feet per second."

235:48:47 Lind: Apollo 12, Houston. We would like to - you to give us the High Gain antenna if you would. We would like you to turn the power on. Give us wide beam width, Reacq mode. The pitch angle is minus 79, and yaw is 156.

236:03:58 Gordon: Hey, would you check with the boys in the back room? Should I have - be having any trouble with Jupiter, as far as seeing it or not? I can't see it. Do I have a right vector in?

236:04:07 Lind: Roger. We're checking.

236:04:12 Gordon: This is a surprise to me. I - you wouldn't think I'd have trouble seeing Jupiter.

236:04:39 Gordon: Hello, Houston; 12. It's all right. I got it now.

236:04:42 Lind: Very good. That gives us a lot of comfort to realize they're all still up there.

236:04:52 Gordon: Why should that be comforting to you? What if we missed one? What would you care?

236:04:55 Lind: Oh, we don't mind if we miss a star, but if all the planets aren't there, you know, the astrologers are really bent out of shape.

236:05:04 Gordon: Well, being there and seeing is one - two different things.

236:05:07 Lind: Roger.

[Long comm break.]

236:10:30 Gordon: Houston, Apollo 12.

236:10:33 Lind: Go, 12.

236:10:35 Gordon: Don, star 75 is not visible.

236:10:38 Lind: Roger. No 75.

236:10:42 Gordon: And I'm going to press on to star 24.

236:10:45 Lind: Roger.

[Long comm break.]

236:14:11 Gordon: Don, one of the problems I'm having with this one is, that star is so dim that when I get it down to the airglow, it almost washes out to nothing, and I can't quite tell where it is. But I'll go ahead and mark on him anyway.

236:14:25 Lind: Roger.

236:14:33 Gordon: Half the time I can't find him; I lose him.

[Comm break.]

236:16:10 Gordon: That's about the toughest star I've had to do so far.

236:16:15 Lind: Say again, Dick.

236:16:17 Gordon: I said that one is about the toughest one I've had.

236:16:21 Lind: We're giving you your Max test since this is your last chance.

236:16:26 Gordon: Well, if they get any dimmer than that, I'm not going to be able to see them.

236:16:30 Lind: Roger.

[Comm break.]

236:19:02 Gordon: Houston, on this particular star here, there's a big round, very dim - very dim orange ball that covers about three-quarters of the sextant, but I can see the star through it even though it doesn't appear orange itself.

236:19:22 Lind: Is that a Sun reflection, or what's causing the orange ball? Do you know?

236:19:28 Gordon: I don't know. I would suspect it might be the proximity to the Sun, but I'm really not sure of that.

236:19:34 Lind: Roger.

236:19:35 Gordon: I don't have the complete orange - I don't have the complete orange ball in the sextant, but I've got the better half of it.

236:19:44 Lind: Roger. Copy.

236:19:45 Gordon: Look at that - Look at that - Look at that patch and you can see how much of the Moon is in that patch, and that's a little bit more than that in here on the Sun.

236:19:56 Lind: Roger, Dick.

236:20:05 Lind: We suspect that's scattered light, Dick.

236:20:11 Gordon: I'm sure it is.

[Comm break.]

236:22:26 Gordon: Houston, 12,

236:22:28 Lind: Go ahead.

236:22:31 Gordon: Don, I can't use this star either. Once I start moving it, there's so much scattered light that I lose the star completely, and I can't keep track of it.

236:22:40 Lind: Roger. That's what the test is to show. Thanks.

236:22:45 Gordon: Okay. I'll press on to the next one.

236:22:47 Lind: Roger.

236:22:51 Gordon: As the famous astronaut once said, press.

[Long comm break.]

236:27:00 Gordon: Well, I think that's a good one to end on.

236:27:04 Lind: Very good.

236:27:11 Gordon: I'll give you an optics Cal again.

236:27:14 Lind: Okay.

236:27:44 Lind: Dick, Houston. Can you tell us how the horizon compares now with the second batch of trans-lunar that you did when you had a good clear horizon?

236:27:58 Gordon: The second batch - Which second batch are you referring to, Don? On the way out or on the way back in?

236:28:04 Lind: Trans-lunar, on the way out.

236:28:08 Gordon: Well, I think there's probably a little learning process as to what is the horizon you ought to be using. I think far too much is made of that airglow layer, and you can almost use what you think is the horizon, which also includes the airglow layer. And it's really not that undefined. It's fairly definite; it's very easy to use. And I think the second set that I did going out was by far the better one, and I've been using that particular horizon for all of these all the - on the way back in.

236:28:38 Lind: Roger. We copy. Thank you very much.

[Comm break.]

236:30:49 Lind: Apollo 12, Houston. If you're interested, we've got football scores, the morning headlines, and the local weather for you, if you want to work that in among your busy activities.

236:31:07 Gordon: Don, go ahead. We'll listen right now.

236:31:11 Lind: Roger. The scores from yesterday in the NFL: Cleveland 28, New York 17; Detroit 16, Green Bay 10; Philadelphia 34, St. Louis 30; Washington, 27, over Atlanta, 20; Los Angeles, 24, to Dallas, 23; Baltimore over Chicago, 24 to 21; Minnesota, 52, over Pittsburgh, l4; New Orleans, 43, to San Francisco, 38. In the AFL: Oakland took Kansas City, 27 to 24; Houston 32, Miami 7; New York 40, Cincinnati 7; Boston 35, Buffalo 21; and San Diego 45, Denver 24. In the news: Splashdown stories and yesterday's news conference are getting good coverage. Pete's boys, Andy and Chris, did a little soaring of their own yesterday. Scott Royce took the boys and Jane up for a ride yesterday. Andy said he'd rather be a soaring pilot than an astronaut. You can work that out with him later, Pete. And Chris's reaction was, "It feels good, but I still like to water ski the best." There's a provocative headline, "Boston Hospital Maternity Wards Are Feeling The Impact Of Two Severe February Snow-storms, "and I'll let you imagine how the story runs. The Houston weather is pretty bad. It's overcast and drizzling, not really a day the Chamber of Commerce would be proud of; however, in the landing area, we're reporting 1800 scattered and a high scattered, winds out of the east at 15 knots with 10-mile visibility. The waves are 3 feet; you've got 5-foot swells, and if you've remembered to pack your lava-lavas it should be a lovely day in the South Pacific.

236:33:26 Gordon: Thank you, Don. It sounds real good, and we'll be happy to see the land of lava-lavas.

236:33:30 Lind: Very good.

236:33:47 Bean: Houston, 12.

236:33:48 Lind: Go ahead.

236:33:50 Bean: What do you want us to disable for PTC, C and - C and D?

236:33:57 Lind: That's good. Yes.

236:34:00 Bean: Okay, fine. C and D are going off and we'll stabilize.

[Comm break.]

236:35:19 Lind: Apollo 12, if you will set in on the High Gain pitch, 40; yaw, 270, we'll take over on the ground and switch your antennas for you.

236:37:11 Conrad: Hello, Houston; Apollo 12.

236:37:13 Lind: Go ahead.

236:37:15 Gordon: Don, I guess we ought to start thinking about getting these state vectors up to speed. I have the onboard ones for the CSM and the ground CSM state vectors in the LM slots. Do you want us to put the ground vector in both slots now?

236:37:47 Lind: Just a second, Dick; we're talking.

236:37:51 Gordon: Okay.

236:38:27 Lind: Dick, Houston. The vectors that you've got in there now are quite satisfactory for the present, but we're going to send you some much better ones in the Flight Plan, so we'll - We don't think there's any need to play with them now, and we'll send you up some better ones later.

236:38:47 Gordon: Okay. I've got a 239:30 as the time we were talking about. Okay. Very good.

236:38:57 Gordon: I didn't particularly appreciate your saying much better. You could have said a little better, couldn't you?

236:39:03 Lind: Sorry about that. It's early in the morning down here.

[Long comm break.]

236:44:09 Gordon: Houston, 12. We're ready to start PTC when you give us the word.

236:44:16 Lind: Roger.

236:44:26 Lind: 12, give us a few more minutes to let the rates damp out, please.

236:52:59 Lind: Roger. And I'm about to turn you over to the tender care of Paul Weitz, so we'll see you when you get back to the LRL. And have fun in the South Pacific.

236:53:07 Gordon: Okay, Don. Thank you much, and that you for all your help.

236:53:10 Lind: Very good. We'll see you later. Goodbye.

236:55:17 Music: ["Wind Me up Again"]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control at 236 hours, 56 minutes. No one here in Mission Control is able, offhand, to identify that brief bit of music we got from the spacecraft. Apollo 12 now 49,635 nautical miles from the Earth and traveling at a speed of 8,412 feet per second. In Mission Control at this time, we're completing a change in shift. Flight Director Pete Frank has taken over from Flight Director Glen Lunney. Our Capsule Communicator is astronaut Paul Weitz."

[Flight Plan 3-199]

237:04:17 Gordon: Houston, Apollo 12.

237:04:20 Weitz: Go, 12.

237:04:24 Gordon: Good morning, Paul. Is anybody down there thinking about getting this eclipse as far as we're concerned when the Sun goes behind the Earth? We've got - What we've got is some -We've got some 16-millimeter black and white and some 70-millimeter black and white.

237:04:47 Weitz: Okay. We'll check on it. We're getting the times on that now. We'll pass those up to you and, when we do, we'll give you the dope on the - what they want it taken with.

237:05:05 Gordon: 12, Roger.

237:10:53 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. On our last LOS during your roll, we did not acquire High Gain; we expected to. Would you verify if your High Gain angles are pitch, 40; yaw, 270?

237:17:24 Weitz: Okay. We pick up the checklist there with the EMS drift check, and we would like to know the results of that on the ground when it's complete. And now, about the ninth line down, where it calls out the set Delta-Vc, we'd like you to set the Delta-Vc plus 100 feet a second if you would, please.

237:17:45 Gordon: Okay.

237:17:48 Weitz: And that's it. Thank you.

[Very long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston at 237 hours, 18 minutes now into the flight. Apollo 12 is presently 47,865 nautical miles away from Earth traveling at a speed now of 8,587 feet per second. Our entry clock in Mission Control shows that we're 7 minutes, 4 - 7 hours, 3 minutes away from time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere. And in the Control Center Flight Director, Pete Frank, who will be on the console for re-entry and recovery has gone around the room talking to all of the members of his flight control team as to status. Right now we're looking very good. Paul Weitz is our new Capsule Communicator and has had some discussions with the crew since his arrival on the console. We're 237 hours, 19 minutes into the flight and this is Apollo Control, Houston."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston at 238 hours now into the flight of Apollo 12. We show Apollo 12 on its continuing trip back to Earth now traveling at a speed of 8,956 feet per second and distance of 44,422 nautical miles away from Earth. We stand by and continue to monitor, and this is Apollo Control Houston."

238:10:56 Gordon: Okay. Roger, Paul. This little EMS test that's in the checklist for the P41; I just ran it for 100 seconds. I set it at 100 feet per second. It ran for 100 seconds, and now the EMS reads 102.2. Over.

238:11:13 Weitz: All right. We'll massage that and see what it means down here, Dick. Thank you.

238:12:57 Weitz: Okay, Dick. We're looking right now at a midcourse 7 of about 2-1/2 feet a second. They want to get another - about another half hour of tracking, after which they will work up your maneuver PAD for you then.

238:13:10 Gordon: Okay. We're not in any big rush except to get home, and we'll wait any length time you need for that midcourse.

238:13:18 Weitz: Okey-doke.

[Very long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston at 238 hours, 15 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12; you just heard Paul Weitz, our Capsule Communicator in Mission Control pass along an advisory with regard to MCC-7 to Dick Gordon in Apollo 12. Presently we are looking at a Delta-V of some 2.5 feet per second with a burn duration of about 5 seconds. These numbers will be updated and we will perhaps delay the passing of the maneuver pad for Midcourse Correction 7 some 20 to 30 minutes to allow for additional processing of data on the part of our Flight Dynamics Officer and Retro Officers here in Mission Control. We presently show Apollo 12 at an altitude of 43,093 nautical miles above the earth, it's velocity continuing to accelerate upping its pace somewhat now at 9,113 feet per second. We are 6 hours, 6 minutes away from entry into the Earth's atmosphere. This is Apollo Control Houston at 238 hours, 16 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston at 238 hours, 35 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. Our digital displays in Mission Control Center now show Apollo 12 41,356 nautical miles out from Earth and traveling at a speed of 9,320 feet per second. Meanwhile, our entry clock is up and our ignition clock for midcourse correction number 7, we show MCC 7 occurring 2 hours, 45 minutes from this time and entry at 5 hours and 46 minutes from this time. We'll stand by and continue to monitor and this is Apollo Control Houston."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston at 238 hours, 45 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. The Apollo 12 spacecraft presently 40,545 nautical miles now from Earth and traveling at a speed of 9,424 feet per second. The Flight Dynamics Officer in Mission Control Center has just advised Flight Director, Pete Frank, that he has gathered data on the latest vector taken on Apollo 12, and we'll start computing the maneuver pad for MCC-7, midcourse correction 7 which will be passed to the crew. The present vector prior to MCC-7 shows [garbled] angle of minus 6.22 degrees. We're 2 hours and 35 minutes away from forecast Time Of Ignition of midcourse correction number 7 and 5 hours, 37 minutes away from forecast time of entry into the Earths atmosphere. This is Apollo Control, Houston."

238:48:25 Weitz: Hello, Apollo 12; Houston. I have some information for you on the solar corona photos.

238:48:33 Gordon: Stand by a second.

238:48:58 Bean: Go ahead, Paul.

238:49:00 Weitz: Okay. They just want you to take photos coming out of the shadow, and they're requesting that you use the Hasselblad, because you indicated the black-and-white film. Use the 80-millimeter lens, an f-stop of 2.8 focused at infinity. They want you to take as many photos as you can, starting at a GET of 241:55:20. Now this is approximately 2 minutes before your sunrise. To start off with, use a shutter speed of 1 second. As you come out of the shadow, as soon as you can see a hairline Sun, change your shutter speed to 1/125th, and –Stand by 1. I'll have your final setting in just a minute.

238:50:39 Weitz: Okay, 12. And, as I said, as soon as you can see any sign of the sun at all, switch your – change your shutter speed to 1/125th. Take photos at that setting for 5 to 10 seconds, after which as the Sun comes up, then change to f:16 at 1/500th of a second. And you can just take a bunch of photos at that; and, for information, the sunrise time is 241:57:18. Over.

238:51:25 Bean: Roger. Understand. We'll start about GET 241:55:20; we'll use black and white, 80-millimeter lens, and we'll have it set at 2.8, infinity, 1 second. And the first time we see a sliver of Sun, we'll switch it to 1/125th and work on that for about 15 seconds; then we'll shift over to f:11, 1/500th, and take some more.

238:51:54 Weitz: Okay, Al. Change over after the Sun - After you see the first sign of the Sun, go about 10 seconds instead of 15; and after the Sun starts coming up, your final f-stop is 16. That's f:16 at a 500th.

238:52:14 Bean: Understand; f:16 and 10 seconds at the earlier setting of f:2.8 at 1/125th.

238:52:24 Weitz: That's affirmative, Al. Also, in your Flight Plan, we call for a Comm check at 239 hours. We're not going to run that Comm check. We would, however, like you to go ahead and fire up your VHF and we'll hold off until we get indications of a good signal strength on the ground, at which time we'll then run a VHF Comm check.

238:56:22 Weitz: Okay. That's roll, 300; pitch, 310; yaw, 0, and that should give it to you out window 5.

238:56:35 Gordon: Roger. Roll, 300; pitch, 310; yaw, 0; window 5.

238:56:39 Weitz: Roger.

[Very long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston at 238 hours, 59 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. We presently show Apollo 12 at 39,258 nautical miles away from Earth traveling at a velocity of 95,088 feet per second. Paul Weitz was passing along camera settings to Al Bean aboard Apollo 12 for the purpose of acquiring photography of the Sun as it rises out above the Earth. There will be a period in the Flight Plan leading up to that, where the Apollo 12 spacecraft will be passing through a period of total darkness. We're at 239 hours into the flight and continuing to monitor. This is Apollo Control, Houston."

239:08:14 Conrad: Let me give you our final stowage configuration; we swapped back again. We've got everything the way we told you - Dick's - We've got one suit under the left-hand couch, and it has a helmet on, and the other two helmets are on top of the Surveyor bag, tied down right in front of A-4 and A-5. Everything else is the way we gave it to you.

239:17:35 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. We see no requirement for that self-check.

239:17:40 Gordon: Okay.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston at 239 hours, 20 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. Apollo 12 present distance from the Earth, 37,316 nautical miles; its present velocity is 9,851 feet per second. Continuing to monitor, this is Apollo Control Houston."

239:22:12 Weitz: Apollo 12, Houston. We have some words on your P52.

239:22:17 Conrad: Okay.

239:22:18 Weitz: Okay. The attitude based on the PTC REFSMMAT is roll, 091.2; pitch, 161.7; yaw, 021.6. Stars - the stars are 35, Rasalhague, and Pete's old favorite, 37, Nunki. We haven't passed up a burn attitude yet, but you – This will put you at the burn attitude, except you'll be 180 degrees out in roll.

239:24:42 Weitz: Apollo 12, Houston. I have a midcourse 7 PAD for you when you're ready to copy.

239:24:53 Gordon: Roger. Go ahead.

239:24:55 Weitz: Okay. It's midcourse 7 RCS/G&N: 24985, NA, NA, 241:21:57.38, minus 0002.4, plus all zeros, plus 0000.1, 000, 310, 000, NA, NA, 0002.4; 0:05; 0002.4. Your sextant star is 10, 241.7: 39.5. There's no Apollo star available for a boresight check. Your GDC stars are Sirius, 15; Rigel, 12. The angles, 336, 262, 357; four-jet ullage; that's a four quad burn. And just some comments to pass up to you; they're not related to the burn. Since the burn is so short, we'll make no correction for your EMS drift. It looks right now like you have 64 hours of battery time on the water, and we're going around the room now to see whether or not to give you a Go for entry. Over.

239:27:08 Gordon: Hey, you guys are all right. Stop the world; I want to get off.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston at 239 hours, 29 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. You just heard Capsule Communicator Paul Weitz..."

239:29:00 Bean: Houston, Apollo 12. Let us know when you're ready for the readback on that PAD.

239:29:03 Weitz: Okay. We're ready and waiting.

Public Affairs Office - "Read the PAD up. We are standing by now for readback."

239:29:11 Bean: Okay. We thought you were going to do something about that Go.

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston. That was Paul Weitz getting a readback from Al Bean aboard the Yankee Clipper and as you heard we are looking for a Ground Elapsed Time of ignition for midcourse correction number 7 at 241 hours, 21 minutes 57.38 seconds. The Delta velocity for that burn 2.4 feet per second and it will be 5 seconds in duration. We're at 239 hours, 31 minutes into the flight; and this is Apollo Control, Houston."

239:31:28 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. We're going to let you come back, so I have an entry PAD for you.

239:31:33 Gordon: Okay. Gosh, you guys are okay today. We'll be ready to copy in just a second.

239:31:56 Gordon: Go ahead.

239:31:59 Weitz: Okay. Entry to the MPL: 000, 151, 000, 244:05:18, 267, minus 158.1, minus 165.17, 06.1, 36116, 6.49, 1167.3, 36198, 244:22:18, 00:29. The next four blocks are all NA down to DO, 400, 02.11, 00:19, 03:27, 08:04, the sextant star is 23, 294.7, 29.0, the boresight star is Procyon, 016, up 14.6; left 1.0; lift vector, up. Use the EMS non-exit pattern. And some times for you here: GET of sunset, 240:32:07; sunrise, 241:57:23. You'll cross the terminator at 244:14:04; and, if you're interested, moonset is at 244:20:05. Over.

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston at 239 hours, 39 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. Our displays in Mission Control presently show Apollo 12 at 35,609 nautical miles away from Earth and traveling at a speed of 10,106 feet per second. Paul Weitz passed along the entry pad to Al Bean in Apollo 12 and we will discern some of those numbers for you that were included in that pad based on a midcourse correction 7 burn. We show a time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere Ground Elapsed Time of 244 hours, 22 minutes, 18 seconds, and from there re-entry elapsed time to 05g of 29 seconds, a re-entry elapsed time will begin a blackout of 19 seconds, a re-entry elapsed time for in the blackout of 3 minutes, 27 seconds, a re-entry elapsed time drogue shoot deployment 8 minutes, 4 seconds. Apollo 12 should be at a velocity of 36,116 feet per second at the time it reaches 400,000 feet above the earth. We're 4 hours, 42 minutes away from time of entry, and this is Apollo Control, Houston. "

239:40:25 Weitz: Hello, Apollo 12; Houston. When you take those corona photos, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to turn the lights down in the cabin to try to minimize reflections off the window, Pete. Over.

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston at 240 hours, 8 minutes into the flight. You heard the call from the Command Module Pilot Dick Gordon asking the ground if they were watching the display keyboard, which was being watched here in Mission Control. It reflected that Apollo 12 was undergoing an alignment of its computer platform. This being done prior to the Midcourse Correction 7 burn. We now show Apollo 12 at an altitude of 3,2696 nautical miles above Earth, now traveling at a speed of 10,566 feet per second. This is Apollo Control Houston."

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston at..."

240:13:26 Conrad: Houston, 12.

240:13:28 Weitz: Go ahead, 12.

240:13:30 Conrad: We're rolling left to the burn attitude; we going to lose the High Gain?

240:13:39 Weitz: Stand by.

240:13:44 Weitz: Affirmative, 12. Give us Omni Delta, please.

240:13:47 Conrad: Okay.

[Very long comm break.]

240:33:34 Gordon: Hello, Houston; Apollo 12.

240:33:37 Weitz: Go ahead, 12.

240:33:39 Gordon: We're getting a spectacular view at eclipse. We're using the Sun filter for the G&N optics, looking through, and it's unbelievable.

240:33:48 Weitz: Roger. Understand, Dick.

240:33:57 Gordon: The reason it looks so much different is the limb of the Earth is eclipsing it. It's not quite a straight line, but it's certainly a large, large disk right now. Looks quite a bit different than when you see the Moon eclipse the Sun.

240:34:15 Weitz: Roger.

240:34:18 Bean: Anybody down there know how I - what we can set the camera at to use the Sun filter on it? To - to - take a couple of shots of this eclipse right through it?

240:34:31 Weitz: Stand by and we'll check.

240:34:35 Bean: They'd better hustle.

240:34:38 Weitz: Okay.

240:34:47 Bean: Funny thing is, you cannot see the Earth at all when you just shield your hand from the Sun and look out right next to it where the Earth should be. It's not there at all. When you stick your smoked glass up, you can see where it's cutting the - the Sun. Otherwise, it's completely invisible.

240:35:04 Weitz: Roger, Al.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "You hear Dick Gordon and Al Bean describing the eclipse they are seeing. Very shortly they will start their photography on this scene. We now show Apollo 12 at an altitude of 30,044 nautical miles away from Earth and traveling at a velocity of 11,039 feet per second. "

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control, Houston at 240 hours, 37 minutes into the flight. We're 45 minutes now away from scheduled Time Of Ignition for midcourse correction number 7. A small burn of 2.4 feet per second in Delta-V. MCC-7 will be retrograde implaned to steepen the entry angle somewhat. Pre-burn is showing an entry angle of minus 6.22 degrees. The Control Center would like to bring it up in the order of minus 6.5 degrees. Continuing to monitor at 240 hours, 38 minutes into the flight, this is Apollo Control, Houston. "

240:42:16 Bean: Fantastic sight. What we see now is - The Sun is almost completely eclipsed now, and what it's done is illuminated the entire atmosphere all the way around the Earth, even though the Sun is still on what looks like the western limb of the Moon - the Earth to us.

240:42:34 Weitz: Roger. Understand, Al. And we're still working on getting a procedure for taking some photographs of it.

240:42:40 Bean: Man, it's too light. We're using those for sunrise. I think they'll be exactly the same.

240:42:45 Weitz: Okay.

240:42:46 Bean: But the diameter of the Earth now looks compared - to the Moon - I'd say about 15 times the diameter of the Sun; but it's illuminating the whole atmosphere all the way around. It really looks pretty. You can't see the Earth. It's black just like the - space.

240:43:13 Weitz: Roger. Understand you cannot make out the Earth at all.

240:43:18 Bean: No. You can't see any features on it. All you can see is this sort of purple-blue, orange, some shades of violet, completely around the Earth. It's illuminated.

240:43:29 Weitz: Roger. [Long pause.]

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control, Houston. Giving that vivid description was Lunar Module pilot, Al Bean, describing the illumination around the entire atmosphere of the Earth, which at present is providing an eclipse over the Sun. We're 240 hours, 44 minutes into the flight. We now show Apollo 12, 29,137 nautical miles away from Earth and traveling at a speed of 11,213 feet per second. "

240:44:18 Conrad: It's very interesting looking at the atmosphere. It has blues and pinks in it, but instead of being banded, it's segmented, which is very peculiar; I don't understand why. It may be the difference between over the landmasses and water or something.

240:44:38 Weitz: Roger, Pete. Understand. Is it kind of like you would see in the desert in the evening sometimes when you get that blue and pink streaking in the sky?

240:44:48 Conrad: Yes. Except, like I say, it’s segmented for about - Right from the Sun, around about a quarter of the Earth is pure blue, and then it becomes pink to about 20 degrees of arc; and then it turns back to blue again. And it's blue all the way around the bottom - to where it turns pink again, and then it turns blue again.

240:45:18 Weitz: Roger, 12.

Public Affairs Office - "That was - that was Pete Conrad adding his description of the view. We're at 240 hours, 45 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. "

240:47:01 Bean: It's a heck of a time to be without any 70-millimeter color film, I'll tell you.

240:47:07 Weitz: ...[garble]...

240:47:08 Bean: But I know how to get it on a 16-millimeter camera.

240:47:11 Weitz: Okay, Al. Good show. We were just thinking the same thing.

[Comm break.]

240:50:45 Bean: Have you got a suggestion on the f-stop for the 16 millimeter?

240:50:50 Weitz: We're working on it.

240:50:52 Bean: It looks - It looks like this is going to have a luminated atmosphere, probably the whole time it's eclipsed. What it looks like now through the smoked glass is that the Sun is completely set behind the Earth, and you probably know better than I do from some...

240:51:16 Bean: Roger. We're using it at 1/60th at 1 frame a second and I - using 1.4 f-stop and also at 2 - and what - and a 1. What it looks like is the Sun is set, but it's so close to the limb of the Moon on the backside there, that that bright light is being channeled through the atmosphere, and so if you look at it with a naked lie – eye you can't tell the Sun is set yet. Through the smoked glass, you can see that it's no longer a disk there, but you just see a bright white line the diameter of the Sun.

240:51:57 Weitz: Roger, Pete. Understand. Al.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 240 hours, 54 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. We show..."

240:53:45 Gordon: Houston, 12.

240:53:47 Weitz: Go ahead, 12.

240:53:49 Gordon: We're shooting these at 1/60th at 1.4, and that's where we're going to stay unless you come up with a better suggestion.

240:53:57 Weitz: Roger. We got that, Dick; 1/60th, 1.4 at 1 frame a second. They're working on it in the back room and, actually according to our figures here, you should still be seeing a little piece of the Sun. You don't enter the full umbra until a little after 241 GET.

240:54:16 Gordon: You’re absolutely correct. We still have a little bit of Sun through the horizon on the western limb.

240:54:22 Weitz: Roger.

240:54:25 Gordon: But right now, the Earth is completely – the atmosphere of the Earth is completely illuminated all the way around, 360, and right in the center it's as black - it's as dark at the –as space behind it itself. This is really spectacular.

240:54:42 Weitz: Roger.

240:54:47 Gordon: Have you got any more adjectives for spectacular? I'd like to use some if you have.

Public Affairs Office - "We presently show Apollo 12 at 27,975 nautical miles out from Earth, traveling at a speed of 11,445 feet per second. We're 26 - 1/2 minutes away from scheduled Time Of Ignition of Midcourse Correction number 7 burn. This is a small burn, 2.4 feet per second in Delta-V, done with the reaction control system. It's designed to steepen the entry angle. "

240:56:52 Weitz: Okay, 12; Houston. We've got some words for you. Set aligns to f:2, go to Time on your mode select and give us a 1-second exposure, if you would. Hit the button that opens the shutter; hit the button again that closes it.

240:57:16 Gordon: Understand. We'll work on it.

241:00:18 Gordon: Houston, Apollo 12. One thing that puzzles us a little bit, perhaps FIDO can answer it. It looks to us like the Sun is being eclipsed by the Earth - Earth's North pole or South pole. It's kind of hard to tell what - whether it is its East or West limb. Have you got any additional dope there on that?

241:00:37 Weitz: Okay. We'll find out and see which direction it's moving.

[Comm break.]

241:02:45 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. For the mode select in Time to function properly on the camera, the shutter speed has to be set to 1/60th even though that's not our actual shutter speed.

241:02:58 Bean: I'd say we've got it. Thank you, though, Houston.

241:03:00 Weitz: Roger.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston at 241 hours, 10 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. We're presently 12 minutes away from ignition for Midcourse Correction number 7. That's a very small reaction control system burn 2.4 feet per second in Delta velocity. We now show Apollo 12 at 26,345 nautical miles away from Earth and now traveling at a speed of 11,788 feet per second. Continuing to monitor this is Apollo Control, Houston. "

241:11:27 Bean: This has got to be the most spectacular sight of the whole flight. We can see now that the Sun's behind the Earth. We can see clouds sort of on the dark part of the Earth; and, of course, the Earth's still defined by this thin narrow - or thin blue-and-red segmented band. It's a little bit thicker over at the - down where the Sun just set than it is at the other one, but it is really a fantastic sight. The clouds appear sort of pinkish gray, and they're sort of scattered all the way around the Earth. It would be interesting to know exactly what part of the Earth we're looking at or what our nadir is now, because that part doesn't appear to have any clouds, and these others appear to be sort of revolving around it.

241:12:26 Weitz: Roger, Al. Understand that you can see clouds all the way around the Earth including the dark portion of it, and your nadir right now is just about the Indian Ocean.

241:12:37 Conrad: Well, the whole - the whole Earth is dark to us. We looking at the night side, but we can see all the clouds. We haven't been able to distinguish landmasses yet, but we might be able to in a minute when we get a little bit better adapted, and I think the airglow is illuminating the clouds down there.

241:12:56 Weitz: Roger, Pete.

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control, Houston. That was both Al Bean and Pete Conrad who reiterating the spectacular view. "

241:13:12 Weitz: 12, Houston. I'll give you a time hack to ignition so you can check your DET. It'll be at 8 minutes which is about 40 seconds away.

241:14:04 Conrad: What happened to your time hack?

241:14:07 Weitz: Well, we're going to come up on 8 minutes - Yes, I blew it. I'll give you one at 7:30.

241:14:12 Conrad: Okay. [Laughter] I - you had me worried for a minute.

241:14:16 Weitz: Okay. We're discussing the important parts, such as which side of the world the Sun's set on. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

241:14:28 Weitz: Mark.

241:14:29 Weitz: 7:30.

241:14:30 Conrad: Okay. We’re right with you. [Long pause.]

241:15:22 Gordon: Say, Houston. It's very interesting. We can see lightning and the thunderstorms down there on the Earth. I don't know how many miles out we are, but all the cloud cover that has thunderstorms in it, we can see lightning - you can see it quite clearly, flashing from wherever we are.

241:15:40 Bean: Yes. They look like - sort of just like fireflies down there blinking off and on.

241:15:47 Weitz: Yes. Yes. You're about 25,750 out.

241:15:55 Bean: Yes. We're starting to look out for these synchronous satellites now. We've been looking up ahead.

241:16:01 Weitz: Okay.

241:16:05 Conrad: Sure hate to run into one up here.

241:16:09 Weitz: Yes. It could ruin your day. [Long pause.]

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston. Synchronous satellites serve an altitude of approximately 22,000 nautical miles. We now show Apollo 12 at an altitude of 25,667 nautical miles from Earth, traveling at a speed of 11,941 feet per second. "

241:17:01 Weitz: Apollo 12, Houston. If those lightning flashes are fairly frequent, we'd like to see if we can capture some of them on film, which would be the mode you are presently in with the speed set to 1/60th at f:2, remain in the Time on the mode select, and leave the shutter open for 1 to 2 minutes.

241:19:06 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. On your question on where the Sun went behind the Earth, we've decided that it did go behind the western limb of the Earth in the Northern hemisphere and should reappear on the Eastern limb, still in the Northern hemisphere.

241:19:27 Conrad: Roger.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "1 minute away now. "

Public Affairs Office - "5 seconds away. "

Public Affairs Office - "Guidance and control confirms plus axis "

241:22:13 Bean: Okay. Plus 0.1, plus 0.1, minus nothing.

241:22:18 Weitz: Roger, 12.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "That was Al Bean reporting the residuals on their Midcourse Correction 7 burn. It looks like a good burn; we will stand by for numbers. We are at 241 hours, 23 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. "

241:24:15 Weitz: 12, Houston. What did your EMS read after that burn, please?

241:24:21 Bean: I even hate to tell you, it's - I'd say it's 102.4 to burn down to 100 - At the end of the burn, it was 101.4 and moving fast...

241:24:33 Gordon: It was 102.7 at burn time after turning it on the normal switch at the proper 30 seconds before the burn.

241:24:46 Weitz: Roger. Understand.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston at 241 hours, and 25 minutes. Flight Dynamics confirms that our entry angle now reads minus 6.47 degrees based on the residuals that were read off from Apollo 12. We now show Apollo 12 at an altitude of 24,670 nautical miles from Earth, presently traveling at a speed of 12,174 feet per second. "

241:27:03 Conrad: Houston, 12. We - we're better night-adapted now, and by golly, we can see India, and we can see the Red Sea, and we can see the Indian Ocean quite early. It's amazing how well we can see, for that matter. We can see Burma and the clouds going around the coastline of Burma, and we can see Africa and the Gulf of Aqaba; it looks like the same photograph Dick and I took on 11.

241:27:37 Conrad: Roger, Pete.

[Comm break.]

241:29:03 Conrad: We can also distinguish the lights of large towns with our naked eye, just barely, and by using the monocular, we can confirm that that's what we're seeing.

241:29:16 Weitz: Roger, 12. That's very interesting. You may now hold the class record for seeing lights.

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control, Houston. We show Apollo 12 now 24,000..."

241:29:32 Conrad: I can tell you, there's a couple of ripdoozer thunderstorms down there that are really – really letting go.

241:29:40 Weitz: From what can you see of the geography there, can you tell where the thunderstorms are, Pete?

241:29:46 Conrad: Okay. I'll give you a fix on this one that is really bright.

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo 12 now 24,200 nautical miles from Earth. That's..."

241:30:04 Conrad: I'm going to give you a fix and say that it's about 2,300 miles to the southwest of the tip of India. There seems to be a weather system out there, and it's got thunderstorms all the way along it.

241:30:28 Weitz: Roger, 12.

241:30:52 Conrad: It's - Venus is just below the Earth, and we can see Venus quite clearly, well, you can see all kinds of stars, but Venus is just below the Earth. This is - This is really a sight to behold, to see it at night time like this.

241:32:10 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. For your information, weather does not have any surface reports from that region, but the satellite picture does show quite extensive cloud coverage of the area you're reporting the lightning.

241:32:26 Conrad: Okay. I got a - Unfortunately, we've got our Earth map stashed away. I wish I had it out. I'm not sure that I'm giving you the absolute exact location. And the other thing is, it looks like, just north of India and I'd say all up through China and Russia, if that's what we're looking at, the whole area in there looks like it is completely covered with clouds.

241:32:54 Weitz: Roger. Understand, Pete.

241:33:04 Conrad: Also, also, right in the center of the Earth now, we have some real bright light shining, staying on - that - that Dick's looking at with the monocular. It's really bright.

241:33:20 Weitz: Roger. Understand. Does it appear to be coming from your nadir point, which should be just off the Eastern coast of India now?

241:33:28 Conrad: Yes. Looks like it's coming just about out of the center of what we're looking at. I would say south of Burma and east of India.

241:33:39 Weitz: Roger. That's just about your nadir. [Long pause.]

241:34:11 Conrad: I can't imagine what that is.

241:34:21 Weitz: We can't either. We're checking for possibilities.

241:34:27 Conrad: It's a steady light, and it appears in size to be as big as any of the thunderstorms flashing.

241:34:39 Bean: Yes. It's as big as Venus at least. [Long pause.]

241:34:XX Weitz: Roger. Understand.

241:34:XX Bean: It's hard to tell if it is exactly in the center of the Earth or not, it's pretty close to being right in the center. Maybe just a little bit to our right, whatever that means. Just a little bit to the side that the Sun did not go behind the Earth on.

241:35:21 Weitz: Roger. I think we understand that.

241:35:26 Conrad: And looking at the airglow with the monocular is - Boy, there is another sight now that is not like being in Earth orbit whatsoever. It's -it's a bright red next to the Earth, and then it's got a green band in it, and then it's got a blue band.

241:35:52 Weitz: Would you say these color bands encircle the Earth now, Pete?

241:35:58 Conrad: Yes. But it's not the same all the way around. What I'm seeing is - is sunrise, really. The Sun is - this is about 40 degrees from the Sun, and there's a red - bright red band - and then a sort of a light green band that's very thin, and then a blue one which must be all of the atmosphere.

241:36:25 Weitz: Roger.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston at 241 hours, 37 minutes into the flight. Apollo 12 now at a distance of 23,358 nautical miles from Earth. We're at 2 hours, 45 minutes from time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Apollo 12 now traveling at a speed of 12,507 feet per second. Standing by and continuing to monitor, this is Apollo Control Houston. "

241:38:08 Weitz: 12, Houston. Can you still see that bright light about in the center?

241:38:14 Conrad: We're - Al - Al - we rolled so Al could take the sunrise pictures, and the Sun has pretty well wiped out that view that we had. Now the Sun's started up, and the Earth has turned black again.

241:38:26 Weitz: Roger. Understand.

[Long comm break.]

241:43:55 Gordon: Houston, 12.

241:43:57 Weitz: Go ahead, 12.

241:44:00 Gordon: Paul, does it look like we are going to have an update to our entry PAD - or not, after that burn?

241:44:11 Weitz: Stand by. I'll check on it, Dick.

241:44:35 Weitz: 12, Houston. They want to get a little more tracking on you. It looks good. Some of the - some of the times may change a second or two, but as soon as they get a good track, we'll send it on up.

241:44:47 Gordon: Okay. Not pushing, just curious.

241:44:49 Weitz: Roger.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston. That was CapCom Paul Weitz advising Dick Gordon, Command Module pilot, that we want a little more tracking data before further refining the Ground Elapsed Times numbers at entry. We're at 241 hours, 45 minutes into the flight, we show Apollo 12 at 22,412 nautical miles in altitude and coming in now at a speed of 12,758 feet per second. This is Apollo Control Houston. "

241:46:21 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. If it's not already there, will you select the left VHF antenna, please?

241:46:31 Gordon: Roger. Left VFH antenna.

241:46:33 Weitz: Okay. And, also, the ground readout of suit pressure dropped to zero a few minutes ago. Will you give us your onboard readout?

241:46:44 Conrad: Oh, it sure did. It reads zero also.

241:46:48 Weitz: Okay, we just wanted to confirm it. Thank you.

[Comm break.]

241:48:09 Bean: Houston, Apollo 12. I sort of think that time you gave me to start shooting, 241:55:20, is the time that the Sun will be completely over the limb of the Earth, and it would be too late then. I've been shooting per your instructions for the last 3 or 4 minutes. Can you confirm that?

241:48:31 Weitz: I'll check on it, Al.

241:48:43 Weitz: I understand, Al, that you can see the Sun, now. Is that right?

241:48:52 Bean: That's affirmative. I've been watching it for about the last 4 or 5 minutes. I didn't put a clock on it, but I started that sequence you gave me when the Sun started to peek around. I expect that the time I got that came out of the computer was the time when it's going to be fully out.

241:49:08 Weitz: Okay, Al. Good show.

[Very long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston at 242 hours, 4 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. Apollo 12's distance from Earth presently 20,202 nautical miles, traveling now at a velocity of 13,400 feet per second. At entry we expect that velocity to reach 36,116 feet per second. In the Control Center we're presently counting down both being the Earth's atmosphere and landing. Time from entry presently reading 2 hours, 17 minutes, 40 seconds. From landing, 2 hours, 31 minutes, 46 seconds. Continuing to monitor this is Apollo Control, Houston. "

242:14:11 Weitz: Okay. The forecast hasn't changed since this morning, Pete. Still calling for good weather; 1,800 foot, scattered, variable, broken, 10 miles; the wind is out of the East at 15; we've got 3-foot waves on top of 5-foot swells, and they're running about 40 degrees apart. The altimeter is 2,988, which gives a Delta-H of plus 38 feet. Your landing time now looks like 2058 Zulu. Sunrise was at 1612 – Zulu that is, and sunset will be at 04:24. There are some widely scattered showers in the area, less than 10 percent. Okay, on the recovery forces, the Hornet's on station. They will have three helos there, [garble] four of them. Swim 1 and 2, with swimmers onboard; Recovery 1 for the swimmer and a medic, and Photo 1. We've also got two E-1's that'll be airborne - that's Airboss and Relay 1. We've got two C130's. It will be 40 minutes getting to on station and they've got a Para rescue on board. Their calls are Samoa Rescue 1 and 2. Over.

242:15:58 Conrad: Houston, 12. We copied all that.

242:16:02 Weitz: Roger.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston. That was Capsule Communicator Paul Weitz giving Apollo 12 a status report on the primary landing area. We now show Apollo 12 continuing to accelerate in toward the Earth traveling at a speed of 13,897 feet per second. Its present altitude above the Earth 18,625 nautical miles. This is Apollo Control Houston. "

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control, Houston. We're 2 hours now away from time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Apollo 12 presently returning to Earth at a speed of 14,162 feet per second. Its altitude from Earth 17,867. nautical miles. We're at 242 hours and 23 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. This is Apollo Control, Houston. "

242:25:20 Conrad: Hello, Houston; Apollo 12.

242:25:22 Weitz: Go ahead, 12.

242:25:24 Conrad: Roger. We'd like to go through the logic sequence.

242:25:31 Weitz: Stand by. [Long pause.]

242:25:47 Weitz: Okay, 12. We were waiting for High Bit Rate. We have it now, so go ahead.

242:25:52 Conrad: Okay. We'll give you a holler as we get to them.

242:25:55 Weitz: Roger.

242:26:15 Conrad: Okay. We're down to ELS Auto, Houston, and we're ready for the sequence logic 2 on up.

242:26:34 Gordon: 61 logic, Mark; 62 logic, Mark.

242:26:40 Weitz: 12, Houston. You're Go for Pyro Arm.

242:26:43 Conrad: Roger.

[Very long comm break.]

242:36:38 Weitz: Hello, Apollo 12; Houston. Over. [Long pause.]

242:37:14 Weitz: Apollo 12, Houston.

[Comm break.]

242:38:35 Weitz: Apollo 12, Houston. Over. [No answer.]

[Comm break.]

242:39:39 Weitz: Apollo 12, Houston.

[Comm break.]

242:42:42 Weitz: Apollo 12, Houston. Over.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston. 242 hours, 42 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. Capsule Communicator, Paul Weitz, has placed several calls to Apollo 12. He plans to ask the crew to change antennas. We are receiving a low signal strength in the spacecrafts present attitude. We show a velocity at present of 15,195 feet per second, and Apollo 12 is now at a distance of - Apollo 12 presently at an altitude or distance above Earth of 15,224 nautical miles. Continuing to monitor this is Apollo Control, Houston. "

242:44:35 Weitz: Hello, Apollo 12; Houston in the blind. Negative downlink. Try to raise us on any antenna you can, including VHF. Over.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston; that's Capsule Communicator Paul Weitz continuing to call in the blind. We now show Apollo 12 at an altitude of 14,546 nautical miles, away from Earth, traveling at a speed now of 15,536 feet per second. We'll continue to monitor and this is Apollo Control Houston. "

242:47:26 Weitz: Hello, Apollo 12; Houston. Over.

[Long comm break.]

242:52:14 Weitz: Hello, Apollo 12; Houston. Over.

[Comm break.]

242:53:16 Conrad: This is 12. Go ahead.

242:53:19 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. Over.

242:53:22 Conrad: Go ahead, Houston.

242:53:23 Weitz: Okay. We haven't been able to get a hold of you guys for a little bit. Where have you been?

242:53:27 Gordon: Right here.

242:53:28 Conrad: Sitting on the checklist Omni Charlie like it said, which apparently wasn't the right one.

242:53:35 Weitz: Yes. We tried to get an Omni Alfa call to you, but didn't get it in in time, I guess.

242:53:40 Conrad: Okay. What do you need?

242:53:45 Weitz: I'll find out if they want anything different.

242:53:48 Conrad: Okay.

[Comm break.]

242:57:27 Weitz: 12, Houston. We lost everything, including down data, during that 10 or 15 minutes. Have you performed your sextant star check?

242:57:35 Bean: That's affirmative. We're just getting ready to align again, and we'll perform it right after we align.

242:57:42 Weitz: Okay. Thank you.

242:57:44 Bean: And the boresight star even checks out.

242:57:46 Weitz: How about that?

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston at 242 hours, 58 minutes now into the flight. That was Lunar Module Pilot Al Bean advising Paul Weitz in Mission Control Center that they would very shortly be aligning their computer platform. We now show Apollo 12 at a distance of 13,117 nautical miles from Earth and its velocity increasing, now reading 16,238 feet per second. Continuing the monitor, this is Apollo Control Houston. "

[Flight Plan 3-204]

243:01:27 Bean: Houston, 12. You got the torquing angles?

243:01:30 Weitz: Roger. We've got them.

[Long comm break.]

243:08:16 Bean: Houston, we're activating the water boiler at this time.

243:08:19 Weitz: Roger, 12.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston at 243 hours, 10 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. We show Apollo 12 at a distance of 11,323 nautical miles from Earth. "

243:10:47 Gordon: Houston, 12. EMS check's okay.

243:10:50 Weitz: Roger, Dick. Thank you.

243:10:53 Gordon: And we're down in the checklist at final storage.

243:10:56 Weitz: Roger and 12 Houston. A reminder is that the camera settings for your fireball and chutes photos are not in the checklist. They only appear in the Flight Plan there.

243:11:13 Gordon: Roger. Thank you; we got it.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "12's velocity now reading 17,294 feet per second. We've been advised by recovery that the Hornet's coordinate at the time of splash will be 15 degrees, 44 minutes South, 165 degrees, 8 minutes West, the target point for Apollo 12 reads 15 degrees, 49 minutes South, 165 degrees, 10 minutes West. The ship will be 5 nautical miles North and 2 nautical miles to the East of the target point, or 5.25 nautical miles straight line distance. We're now 1 hour, 10 minutes, 10 seconds away from the time of entry interface, and this is Apollo Control Houston. "

243:23:37 Weitz: Hello, Apollo 12; Houston. The only change worth noting on your PAD is the EMS range to Go.

243:23:46 Bean: Okay. What's that?

243:23:48 Weitz: That is now 1166.3.

243:23:46 Bean: Roger. Copy 1166.3.

243:24:02 Weitz: That's right.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston. You heard that callup from Capsule Communicator, Paul Weitz, advising Apollo 12 their entry PAD remains essentially the same as the one previously passed to them. Meanwhile, the Control Center reading of digital displays, we show Ground Elapsed Time for entry in the Earth's atmosphere 244 hours, 22 minutes, 18 seconds. A Ground Elapsed Time for begin blackout 244 hours, 22 minutes, 37 seconds. A Ground Elapsed Time for 05g of 244 hours, 22 minutes, 47 seconds. A Ground Elapsed Time for end of blackout 244 hours, 25 minutes, 46 seconds and for drogue deployment at some 23,000 feet in altitude of 244 hours, 30 minutes, 22 seconds. We're coming up now on 57 minutes from time of entry and this is Apollo Control, Houston. "

243:26:12 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. Give us a right antenna on VHF, will you, please?

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston at 243 hours and 28 minutes now into the flight. Apollo 12 continuing to progress down their checklist prior to entry in the Earths atmosphere. You heard Command Module Pilot, Dick Gordon, talking with Capsule Communicator, Paul Weitz, for entry Dick Gordon will be at the controls of Apollo 12 and in approximately entry interface minus 19 minutes Program 61, this is the entry preparation program is called and the spacecraft is pitched manually to obtain the horizon which is checked against a window marking of about some 31.7 degrees. At approximately entry interface minus 18 minutes, Program 62, the pre-entry Command Service Module separation program is called. At about minus 16 minutes for separation Yankee Clipper Yaw is 45 degrees out of plane. A guillotine mechanism cuts the connecting wires and tubing between the Command and Service Modules and small charges set off by detonators sever the 3 tension ties. Separation should occur at approximately 15 minutes prior to entry in the Earths atmosphere. After separation the Command Module returns in plane. We'll stand by and continue to monitor. We now show our Ground Elasped Time at 243 hours, 30 minutes into the flight. Velocity continuing to increase now. We read 19,351 feet per second. In less than an hour this velocity, however, will almost double. We show an altitude above Earth at this time of 83,072.8 nautical miles... "

243:29:59 Gordon: Okay, Houston. We'll be coming up with the Command Module RCS check in just a minute.

243:30:04 Weitz: Roger, 12. We're ready whenever you are.

243:30:09 Gordon: 0kay.

[Comm break.]

243:31:42 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. The check looked good here.

243:31:46 Conrad: Looked good up here, too.

243:31:47 Gordon: Roger. It looked good here.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston. What you heard there between Paul Weitz, and Apollo 12. Apollo 12 Command Module Pilot, Dick Gordon is presently going through an RCS check, Reaction Control System check, on the Command Module. We're at 243 hours, 32 minutes into the flight less than 50 minutes now from time of entry into the Earths atmosphere. We now show a velocity of 19,748 feet per second, an altitude of 79,052 nautical miles. Standing by and continuing to monitor this is Apollo Control, Houston. "

243:33:59 Weitz: Uh-oh, 12; Houston. Give us Omni Charlie, please.

243:34:04 Gordon: Going Omni Charlie.

[Very long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston; we are now at 243 hours, 40 minutes into the flight of Apollo 12. Apollo 12's some 42 and a half minutes away from time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere. We presently show the Apollo 12 Command and Service Module at a distance of 6,703 nautical miles out from Earth; velocity continuing to increase rapidly; now reading 21,013 feet per second. We reach entry interface at GET of 244 hours, 22 minutes, 18 seconds. We show the - in retro elapsed time, the first period of blackout beginning at 19 seconds from time of entry interface with the 12 spacecraft reaching 05g at 29 seconds from time of entry interface. The period of blackout ending at 3 minutes, 28 seconds from time of entry interface - the drogue deployment at 8 minutes, 4 seconds, plus time from entry interface, the deployment of the main parachutes system - the 3 parachutes - at 8 minutes, 52 seconds from time of entry interface, and time of splash 13 minutes, 49 seconds from the time we enter the Earth's atmosphere. Continuing to monitor, this is Apollo Control Houston. “

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston – at 243 hours, 42 minutes now into the flight. Recovery has just advised Flight Director Pete Frank that all Recovery Aircraft are on station and functioning. To quickly run down crew composition of these aircraft: Air Boss - this is an E1B tracer, the pilot is Commander Van E. Spradley, Co-Pilot is Lieutenant Al Pierce of Rochester, New York, Controller is Lieutenant Junior Grade Mike Meaney of Portland, Oregon and Technician, Aviation Electrician's Mate First Class Angus Davis of Weder, Utah. The Recovery number 1 Aircraft, this is the helicopter, SH3D sea king, which will carry the decontamination swimmer, will be piloted by Commander William Aut, age 36 of St. Louis Missouri, Co-Pilot Lieutenant Junior Grade Glenn Casey, age 27 - Co-Pilot: Lieutenant Junior Grade Glen Casey, age 27, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Decontamination Swimmer, Lieutenant Junior Grade Ernest Lee Jahncke, 26 years of age of Greenwich, Connecticut, the remaining 2 crewmen, the first crewman, Chief Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Operator, Ken Cunningham, 27, Tiff City, Missouri, 2nd Crewmen, Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Operator Second Class, Abram Dominguez, age 33, of Tombstone, Arizona. Swim 1, this is the Helicopter that is 10 nautical miles uprange from the carrier is piloted by Lieutenant Bill Sherrod, 28, Immokalle, Florida is his home, Co-Pilot: Lieutenant Junior Grade Larry Lybarger, age 27 of Anchorage, Alaska. The helicopter carries 3 swimmers who will deploy the sea anchor or potentially can deploy the sea anchor and flotation collar, and these include Lieutenant Junior Grade William C. Robertson, 27, Hampton, Virginia, Swimmer Sonar Technician First Class Arles L. Nash, age 29, Edinboro, Pennsylvania, and Photographers Mate Third Class William R. Pozzi, 22, Lynwood - yes - the Swim 2 Helicopter is positioned 15 nautical miles downrange, is piloted by Lieutenant Grey Linker, age 26, Moresville, North Carolina. The 3 swimmers aboard..."

243:45:48 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston.

243:45:51 Conrad: Go ahead, Houston.

243:45:52 Weitz: Just a reminder, Pete. Since the - Your steam pressure readout on the secondary system has been erratic in the re-entry phase; Just double check that you're on Primary.

243:46:05 Conrad: Roger. We're on Primary.

243:46:08 Weitz: Roger. [Long pause.]

243:47:25 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. Give us VHF left, please.

243:47:31 Conrad: Roger. VHF left.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "Correction to that last hometown. That is Calistoga, California vice Florida. We show that we're 34½ minutes away from time of Entry into the Earth's atmosphere and this is Apollo Control Houston. "

243:52:25 Gordon: Okay, Houston. Bus ties.

243:52:28 Weitz: Roger, 12.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston at 243 hours, 52 minutes. That was a report from Apollo 12 indicating that the landing batteries have been turned on. We now show Apollo 12 at a distance of 4,509 nautical miles from Earth and traveling at a velocity of 23,845 feet per second. We're 29 minutes from time of Entry in the Earth's atmosphere and this is Apollo Control Houston. "

243:56:25 Weitz: Apollo 12, Houston. I'll give you a time hack at 25 minutes, which is about 50 seconds away, and if one of you wants to turn down your S-hand volume, we'll get a VHF voice check.

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston at 243 hours, 59 minutes into the flight, Apollo 12 now at an altitude of 3,688 nautical miles out from Earth, velocity now reading 25,161.5 feet per second. This is Apollo Control Houston. “

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston 244 hours into the flight now and looking at the display which shows the onboard computer, we see Apollo 12 in Program 61, which is the Entry maneuver to Command Module/Service Module separation attitude. And Apollo 12 now 3,688 nautical miles away from Earth traveling at a speed of 25,161 feet per second. Apollo Control Houston, 244 hours, 3 minutes. "

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control, Houston at 244 hours, 3 minutes. The Command and Service Module should be yawing very shortly to out of plane 45 degrees. We'll continue to monitor. "

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control, Houston. Now we show Apollo 12 with a velocity of about 25,161 feet per second. We're at 244 hours, 5 minutes into the flight. Present altitude 3,688 nautical miles. Standing by, this is Apollo Control. The Guidance and Control Officer confirms that 12 is moving to separation attitude at this time. We're at 244 hours, 6 minutes into the flight. "

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston. The Guidance and Control Officer confirms that Apollo 12 flying a ring A reaction control system entry. We are at 244 hours, 9 minutes into the flight. Apollo Control Houston monitoring the display showing the onboard computer. The onboard computer still in Program 62, when Program 63 comes up, on the computer, we will try to get an over the shoulder look at range to go to splash and velocity rates; we'll stand by and continue to monitor that display. We are now reading Program 63, noun 64, we show a velocity... "

244:11:14 Weitz: 12, Houston. I'll give you another back on your DET at 10 minutes, which is about 1 minute from now.

244:11:20 Conrad: Okay. [Long pause.]

Public Affairs Office - "We show a velocity reading of 31,037 feet per second, a range to go of 4,305.2 nautical miles. Apollo Control Houston - Apollo 12 clipping along now - we show a velocity of about 31,355 feet per second - range to go to splash 4,229 nautical miles... "

244:12:14 Weitz: Stand by for your mark. 3, 2, 1...

244:12:19 Weitz: Mark.

244:12:20 Weitz: Ten minutes.

244:12:22 Conrad: Roger. We're right with you.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control Houston - about 4 minutes before Entry into the Earth's atmosphere, we will lose data however we will retain communications with Apollo 12 through one of the ARIA aircraft - that would be at 5 minutes before Entry interface. We now show a velocity of about 31,945 feet per second, a range to go of 4,014 nautical miles. "

Public Affairs Office - "The last tracking station in the Pacific to have data will be Guam. We're now at 244 hours, 14 minutes into the flight of Apollo 12, continuing to speed in at a rapid clip, we now read 32,360 per second, range to go 3,867 nautical miles. "

Public Affairs Office - "This is Apollo Control, Houston 244 hours, 15 minutes now into the flight. Present velocity, 32 813 feet per second. Range to go 3,641 nautical miles. Less than seven minutes now until time of entry in the Earth's atmosphere. We show a velocity of 33,190 feet per second, range to go of 3,476 nautical miles. Guidance and Control reports 12 is looking very good, very small Reaction Control System usage at this time. We're at 244 hours, 16 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. Less than 6 minutes to go till entry now. We show a velocity reading of 33,704 feet per second, range to go of 3,223 nautical miles. Less than 5 minutes to go until entry. We show a velocity now of about 34,217 feet per second. Range to go to splash of 2,934 nautical miles. We're at 244 hours, 17 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. Retrofire officer confirms that we're looking good from his vantage point. We now show a velocity reading of 34,577 feet per second, range to go to splash of 2,729 nautical miles. "

Public Affairs Office - "We've lost data with the Guam tracking station. We, however, will retain voice communications and capability through an ARIA aircraft. As we lost data, we read a velocity of 34,780 feet per second and a range to go of 2,617 nautical miles. "

Public Affairs Office - "2 minutes now from time of entry. Capsule Communicator, Paul Whites, has communicated through the Aria Aircraft through our VHF. We're at 244 hours, 20 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 12. A minute and a half away now from time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Less than a minute away now from entry. The period of blackout should begin 19 seconds after we enter the Earth's atmosphere. We'll stand by and continue to monitor, and this is Apollo Control, Houston. "

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo 12 should be entering the Earth's atmosphere at this time at 400,000 feet. "

244:22:30 Weitz: 12, Houston. Coming up on blackout. We'll see you at 3:28.

[Long comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo 12 should have begun its blackout some 7 seconds ago. We should be in blackout some 2½ more minutes from this time. We now show a Ground Elapsed Time of 244 hours, 23 minutes into the flight of Apollo 12. "

Public Affairs Office - "Copy heading south 12 - we copied the Hornet is heading south 12 knots for its terminal position for splash, which would be 5.25 nautical miles north of our target point. "

Public Affairs Office - "We're less than 30 seconds away from the time when blackout period should be ended. Mission Control may try to get Yankee Clipper between the blackout and drogue deploy which occurs at some 23,000 feet to get some readings off the computer display keyboard, but its current plan is not to attempt to contact the Yankee Clipper after drogues have been deployed. "

244:25:51 Weitz: Hello, Apollo 12; Houston. Over. [No answer.]

244:26:37 Weitz: Hello, Apollo 12; Houston. Over. [Long pause.]

244:27:04 Conrad: Hello, Houston. You read Apollo 12 out of blackout?

Public Affairs Office - "Apollo Control Houston. Report from the Hornet indicates that that radar contact showed a range of 103 nautical miles and a bearing of 261 degrees. "

244:27:08 Weitz: Roger, 12. Reading you loud and clear now.

244:27:12 Conrad: Okay. It's right on the money.

244:27:16 Weitz: Roger. We concur, Pete.

Public Affairs Office - "Pete Conrad says right on the money. "

244:27:17 Gordon: We're taking our second dive in.

244:27:19 Weitz: Roger.

244:27:25 Gordon: Pulling 3g's, and it starts the Earth mode.

244:27:29 Conrad: That first time I get a shower at 6g [garble] thought I'd wiped all the water out of the tunnel [garble]. We're doing great.

244:27:33 Weitz: Roger. 12. [Long pause.]

Public Affairs Office - "Very good voice reception through ARIA. "

244:28:04 Gordon: Okay, Houston. We've got 50 miles to go on my mark.

244:28:08 Gordon: Mark.

[Comm break.]

Public Affairs Office - "Hornet advises radar contact now with a range of 69 nautical miles with an altitude of 121,000 feet. We're about a minute and a half away now from time of drogue deploy. This is Apollo Control Houston. "

244:29:23 Weitz: Hello, 12; Houston. We have radar and S-band contacts on you.

244:29:29 Conrad: Roger. [Long pause.]

Public Affairs Office - "We should be getting that drogue chute deployment right now and we're standing by. "

244:31:33 Conrad: There go the mains. Three, but they're not reefed. There they go. They dereefed. Hello, Houston; Apollo 12. Three gorgeous beautiful chutes. And we're at 8,000 feet, on our way down in great shape.

Public Affairs Office - "Al Bean reports that the 3 main chutes have deployed. "

244:32:51 Recovery: This is Recovery. I am 3 miles north of the 300 radial. Three miles - I have a visual. He is bearing 135 from me, 6000. I am – pretty good [garble]. Looks good.

244:33:11 Air Boss: Roger [garble] 2 had zero bearing...

244:33:31 Recovery: The Command Module is just above the cover of the clouds at 5,500 feet.

244:33:44 Photo 1: Photo 1 has [garble] zero, zero.

244:33:51 Photo 1: [Garble] 200.

244:34:01 Recovery: This is Recovery. I still have a visual. He's just beginning to sink into the clouds.

244:34:07 Air Boss: Apollo 12, Apollo 12, this is Air Boss transmitting in the blind. Your primary transmitter is inoperative, inoperative. Switch to Secondary 259.7 and [garble]. Over. We have a visual on you; we have a visual on you.

Public Affairs Office - "The floatation collar is pulled out one side at a time and pulled around with bungy lines two air bottles will inflate. "

Public Affairs Office - "The first of three rafts will be deployed very shortly. ”

Public Affairs Office - "Yankee Clipper for ten days a space worthy vessel now proving to be a sea worthy vessel. We're standing by. "

Public Affairs Office - "The tether line will be hooked to the sea anchor ring. "

Public Affairs Office - "The last swimmer in was the decontamination swimmer, Lt. (Junior grade) Ernest Lee Jahncke. Lt. Jahnke is 26 years old from Greenwich, Connecticutt. "

Public Affairs Office - "At the given point, the Apollo 12 crew will open the hatch and receive flight coveralls and face masks from the decontamination swimmer who will be standing on the flotation collar. The decontamination swimmer again is Lt. Jahnke. "

Public Affairs Office - "The Hornet reports spacecraft now 900 yards upwind of spacecraft of the Hornet. The Hornet now 900 yards upwind of the Yankee Clipper. "

Public Affairs Office - "The first astronaut coming out now of the Command Module. "

Public Affairs Office - "All three astronauts now in the raft. "

Public Affairs Office - "Conrad, Gordon, and Bean was the exit order from the spacecraft. "

Public Affairs Office - "Conrad, Gordon, and Bean was the exit order from the spacecraft. "

Public Affairs Office - "The pickups will be made with the recovery net or so-called "Billy Pugh Net" which is in position. "

Public Affairs Office - "The "Billy Pugh Net"... ”

Public Affairs Office - "The recovery net of "Billy Pugh Net" looks much like a hanging chair. Its center of gravity is toward the back and has the effect that scooping up or... "

Public Affairs Office - "We repeat that last report. The first astronaut aboard is Commander Gordon, condition good. "